


Burn Twice As Bright

by idekitsstrash



Category: One Piece
Genre: ASL & Whitebeard pirates - Freeform, ASL Brothers, Alive Thatch (One Piece), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Brotherly Love, Fluff, Friendship, Happy Ending, Portgas D. Ace Lives, Second Chances, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:13:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29243391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idekitsstrash/pseuds/idekitsstrash
Summary: Ace sees Luffy’s smile again, and thinks,that’s home
Relationships: Monkey D. Garp & Monkey D. Luffy & Portgas D. Ace & Sabo, Monkey D. Luffy & Portgas D. Ace & Sabo
Comments: 71
Kudos: 224





	1. Path Towards Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For as long as Ace could remember, his first memories were of a tattered straw-hat, the lifeless body of a blonde haired, blue eyed boy, and the pain filled gaze of a father long gone.
> 
> He's seven when he finds out the tragedy behind each one and how interconnected they were

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clear somethings up, in Ace's first life, it was he who saw Sabo ‘die’ and not Dogra. (But Sabo didn’t actually die and Dragon saved him, just like in Canon).
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes you many encounter, hope you enjoy.

He doesn’t remember when he started dreaming of them — the blue eyed boy with the pipe and the too big top hat, the raven haired boy with a tattered straw-hat who’s smile never wavered and a man larger than life who calls him his son — but it made him all the more happy, knowing when sleep danced on his lanky frame, there was always a warm hand to hold him close, chasing away his demons despite it being nothing but a fake reality that had blossomed in his mind after the revelation of his birth father.

But it’s night like those, when he comes back from asking the usual question of..

” _What if Roger had a child?”_

and the answers received break him that much further than he can adjust to —more so when he’s only five summers old and the world seems to be against him since his making — that Ace _~~needs,~~_ wants those dreams, to become a reality. To have the straw-hatted boy wrap his rubbery arms around him as they snore away, to have that blonde boy give him that small lopsided smile that’s filled with so much acceptance and love that it causes his eyes to moisture, and to hear the booming laughter of the man who calls him his son as he pats his head gently.

But Ace knows, by God does he know, that even if it were to become a reality, and not stay as a figment of his imagination, that they would shun his existence like so many before them have done, and that they would leave him too, because his first memories of them is a tattered straw- hat, the lifeless body of a blonde haired, blue eyed boy, and the pain filled gaze of a father long gone. And that’s enough for Ace to know whatever happiness that may come knocking on his door, will be as fleeting as a new born babe’s cry.

So Ace learns to be content with his imagination, ploughing through the months as the verbal assault continues, as his existence is shamed, his self worth plummeting; deteriorating into nothing but ash and all that keeps him afloat in his now bleak and blackened life is his facade.

A facade that chips and cracks away as snippets of _~~memories~~_ dreams and conversations are recalled — some distorted and others as vivid as Dadan’s hair that sometimes Ace thinks the _~~memories~~_ dreams are tangible, causing him to loses himself in the fake reality — holding hands with two other boys as they laugh and stumble towards an end that is no doubt cold and bitter because when morning dawns, he’s the only boy left standing with fragments of their conversation ringing in his ears as his only companion.  
  
And Ace hates the cruelty of the situation. Hates how’s he left wanting more, hates how his eyes moisten with tears at something that’s not real. Hates how _they_ are not real and hates how his hope is crushed time and time again after waking up from those bittersweet dreams of a bond forged by sake and an oath.

 _“_ _Did you guys know, we can become brothers if we exchange this cup of sake.”_

He dearly wants to hear those words, and experience such a bond, but how can he when he feels that those two boys are simply part of the Ace that he wishes to rid himself off? the part that he knows will only bring him more pain than his five year old body can bear, and that the Ace everyone sees; the one who beats thugs for enjoyment and is constantly angry, is the only side that can help bear the pain that the world throws his way?

_”No matter where we are or what we do, our bond will not be broken!”  
_

It’s wishful thinking, the naivety in those words is nothing but a child’s dream because Ace knows bonds can be broken. They are fickle and one action or one words can destroy such thing, flickering it out of existence; such as his birth ending his mother, snapping whatever bond he may have shared with her when simply a fetus. But he had killed her hadn’t he? And in consequence, severing her life thread and ending their bond —- one that had been one-sided on his mother’s behalf. (The bond between mother and son, but Ace knows he still loves his mother, even if he hates her for protecting him in exchange for her life, and letting him be born in this accursed world.)

And it was that bitter realisation, that made Ace hate himself more, because time and time again, he spat at his mother’s sacrifice. Letting people make a mockery out of his birth when it had come at a price that could never (in his eyes) be paid back. It made him detest the miracle that was called life, and being Rogers son as well as being told he was _unwanted, a child of devil and his life was of no consequence,_ had furthered his belief that he shouldn’t have been born, that he shouldn’t _live_.  
  
_“You want me to live?”_

_”of course!”_

To live? How does one come around to doing so? It leaves a bitter tang in his mouth, knowing that it is a fruitless question that he knew had no answer for a nobody like him. But he doesn’t mind so much, not necessarily. Ace has no reason to live, sees no purpose to look upon the endless blue sky for another day. He’s content with simply being there, _existing, surviving_ for the sole reason of making a name for himself. To remove himself out of the shadows his father had unknowingly created for him, making him his unwilling successor.

_”why?”_

_”Because I want to be your friend!”_

Every child hopes to hear those words, to have that someone lend them a hand and enclose them in that warm bubble they call friendship, but Ace knows he’ll never hear such words, knows that it’s all a play, orchestrated by himself because...

_“being alone is much worse than getting hurt.”  
_

And Ace can assent to such statement, because he hurts himself by constructing these two boys from his own twisted personality to fight his loneliness when his abusers pay him no mind, and Ace knows such thing is considered to be absurd and downright morbid, but Ace finds acknowledgment and companionship in them, even if only for a moment, but Ace is somewhat content with it because even if they do not know it, they have acknowledged him as a street rat who’s much to invested in Roger and his child.

So the years continue to pass by in such similar mundane fashion, his dreams spanning on that it keeps Ace warm when lonely winter nights hit Dadan’s country — for he has something to ponder over and keep his mind busy, even if it pains him to do so.

And whilst those dreams may keep him company, Ace no longer dares dwell on the significance or meaning of his dreams, learning to be content with his imagination and seeing them as just that. 

But when Ace stumbles across Grey Terminal, a place that was a frequent visitor in his landscape, Ace wonders, for a tiny moment if his dreams were prediction of the future, a future that brought a sense of belonging, friendship, love and upon many things, one that no doubt would await him and who else?, but dismisses the idea as soon as it comes —- ignoring the tingling sensation at the back of his mind.

It makes no good to ponder on frivolous things such as dreams. He is no believer of such thing, and with that turns away from the place he associates adventure with. It would do him no good to dwell on the what if’s that have clustered in his mind — saving him from the headache and pain that would no doubt follow with trying to dissect something of no importance.

But as hard headed as he may be, the yearning and longing increases, becomes insistent as he stays away from Grey terminal, and two weeks into his avoidance of the place, Ace decides to given in and satisfy his curiosity, ignoring the ferocious echo of his heart in his ears as he makes his way to where everything had truly began in terms of bonds and companionship in those dreams of his.

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

Standing on trembling legs, Ace can’t help the sense of nostalgia wash over him as he reminisces of the distinct blonde hair, with it’s too large, black top hat resting upon the curly, golden locks. The blue fabric of his clothing brighter in the morning sun as he sits on the trash stored in Grey Terminal, looking very much at home as his fingers twiddle over pieces of junk.

Ace feels his breath hitch, bile rising as he stared at the boy whom he thought was nothing but a mirage, a fake reality created by himself.

Yet there he was, a boy of his own that was undoubtedly _real_. A living flesh much like himself. Ace wonders for the second time, if his dreams are simply fragments of the not so distant future. And whilst he tries to dismiss such possibility much like the first time round, it proves futile with the evidence sitting across from him.

And Ace will not deny the little hope that blossoms in his chest at such possibility, because this boy would be his first companion, first friend and one of the two whom he would share a bond of brotherhood with. Ace wants to grab at this moment with his two hands and hold it tight and as he moves towards the blonde boy to do so, he feels himself flatter and involuntary flinch back as a memory flashes to the forefront of his mind.

It’s his first memory of the boy, of his lifeless corpse floating upon the vast ocean.

For the second time that day, Ace wavers in his decisions. No doubt, if this is fragments of his future, his first friend would leave him be and become, once again, nothing but mere, bittersweet memories.

And in good conscience, Ace shouldn’t befriend the boy if his fate would be death mere years after meeting him. He shouldn’t do that to someone who had given him his first of everything, someone who had become his brother, his family, but Ace is selfish and wants him and everything that comes along side him. The good and the bad.

They’ve been together since he could first dream, and dreams were not the same as reality. Ace wants them to become a reality, to experience and feel those emotions given and received because.... because he..... Ace just wants to be selfish and indulge himself in the company of his makeshift family, just this once. But he doesn’t want to loose him after some years. Doesn’t want to cut their time short. He wants to spend his time on Earth with him and the straw- hat boy, and then some more in the afterlife.

They are his as he is theirs. They have no right to leave him and —

_”you promised you wouldn’t die, didn’t you? ACE!”_

neither does he. 

_He couldn’t feel, nor could he hear. The world was nothing but the dull roar of the ocean waves compared to the burning inferno that blistered through his back and out through his chest. Melting his organs as an agonizing and heart- wrenching scream broke through his vocal cords._

It’s his first time seeing such sight, seeing his own bruised and bloodied body, a gaping wound prominent on his person, one that had ensured his death in the arms of his much older, younger brother — who’s hands were splattered with _his_ blood, crying for _him_ as his own body slid from his brothers grasp and onto the ground.

_“Don’t kill me off so easily!”_

But yet there he was, an already dead corpse, a broken promise and a now alone baby brother in a world that was nothing but a morbid reflection of himself. 

And yet now, reminiscing of a past life, Ace understands the true impact of what words can mean and the consequence that may follow through with broken promises, and that arrogance can set off chain reactions like no other.

_“Was I a good father?”_

This was the man who had inducted him as his son, who showed him familial touch outside his two brothers.

_“Of course you were.”_

Ace had no other father to compare this man to, but these memories, his dreams, if he were to go by them, Ace knows this man was more than a good father. _Better than shitty gramps._ He is the best father anyone could wish for.

What followed next was a series of flashbacks, detailing through his life.

His childhood years, were three boys had become two.

When he first set out to sail. _Age seventeen._

His first crew. _The Spade Pirates._

Joining ‘Oyaji’s’ crew. _The_ _Whitebeard Pirates_

How certain faces had his heart soaring for the skies, eyes dampening and hands shaking with anxiety. _Thatch, Marco, Haruta, Izou._

His reunion with his little brother in Alabasta. _Luffy._

And last of all, his fall from grace — one of betrayal and hurt. Of how shitty gramps had somewhat chosen duty over family.

Of how his little brother came storming through like an atomic bomb to rescue him, and in the end, he threw away his chance to _live_ by letting that damn magma bastard get the best of him.

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

He’s little hysteric, seeing the cerulean blue eyes of boy long dead up close again will do that to you, Ace knows that. But it doesn’t stop his devil fruit from activating —- adding to his hysteria, because as far as he knows, when a devil fruit user dies, they lose their ability, but yet here is, up in flames at the tender age of seven. Ten years to early for him to have eaten his Mera Mera no mi.

But that little realisation is nothing compared to him being alive, with an equally alive Sabo, so having his devil fruit was of small significance in the wider picture.

A very much alive Sabo is too much to handle for his already fragile mind. He had thought he had come to terms with Sabo's death, long before he had first set out to sail, believing they would meet somewhere in the afterlife.

But this was not the afterlife and nor was he dead. _He was very much alive and so is Sabo._

He had spent the first seven years of his second life thinking his dearest friend was nothing but a figment of imagination, spent those seven years ignorant of what had happened to him in a timeline that had vanished into existence. 

Ace didn’t think much of his next actions, blaming it on the fracturing of his mind, the series of emotions that had rapidly built overtime finally exploding in a torrent of a whirlwind as his body blazed with new found ferocity, his fire on the brink of eradicating everything within his perimeter, but before more damage could be done, Sabo's hand comes slapping at his cheeks — hysteria prominent is Sabo’s own voice.

"Hey, hey, calm down, it's just a panic attack." A sound between a laugh and a cry leaves his mouth as bitter realisation dawns on Ace, that he's been bestowed with a second chance to right his wrongs. He, who is nothing but a failure. He, who had failed to save Sabo, then Thatch and not long after Oyaji, and soon himself, leaving Luffy all alone -- his pride and joy who hated being alone more than anything else. 

_He was a complete and utter failure._

Portgas D. Ace is many, many things. An emotionally stunted man? Indefinitely, living with bandits or in the forest ensures it. A brother and a son? Without a doubt. A Pirate? He thrived as one.

But to be a Savior? A hero? Most certainly not. He was a Pirate. He was supposed to live life without regrets, wasn't he? Not wallow in self pity and hatred. Blaming himself for every disaster that striked his way.

It’s a reflection of calamity and Ace just wants everything to end. It’s unbearable and he believes he’s already suffered in one lifetime already. He doesn’t need to add another lifetime of suffering, even with the possibility of saving everyone. _He just wants to be._

_It’s his adolescent wish turning into his own personal hell, and he doesn’t know how to adapt to this reality for it shatters the last of his sanity, leaving him an incoherent, babbling mess._

He’s much too broken to be saving the world. Much too fragile to be blessed with a second chance. He’s a man in a child’s body, carrying the sins of a father long dead and his own sins to start anew.

He’ll undoubtedly fuck up because that’s the only good thing he’s capable off.

But he knows one thing... _The future he knows is not set in stone. He’ll make sure of it. Hopefully._

_-/_


	2. What Was Once, Will Never Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ace realises the world had become a morbid reflection of himself, of his conflicts and desires and vows to change that aspect of himself.

He had left pain and misery in his path, his tattered and torn hat resting on his bruised and bloodied body as he lay among the bodies of his once fellow family and allies; whose lives he had indirectly taken due to following a traitor of a man, ensuring his capture and not long after, the death of many who risked themselves to get him free.

One moment of disobedience had led him to him to his death, discarding his newfound family as he chased high and low, shattering the hearts of many with each step taken. He had let himself be manipulated like a doll, to be used for another’s gain and had been so blinded by hurt and betrayal that he hadn’t seen the trap that had been laid bare for the world to see.   
  
His need to to bring Thatch’s killer to justice had been his downfall, and as Ace continues staring at the dented and crooked roof of Dadan’s hut, he wonders if everything will stay the same or if everything he had ever known, will go into a divergence, the timeline branching away from its proper alignment and if all hope will be lost: or would he be able to save them all. To save Sabo, then Thatch and not long after Oyaji.

They had all died because of him, hadn’t they? Sabo because he wanted him and Luffy safe from his father’s scheming mind. Thatch because he hadn’t taken notice of Teach’s scheming and betrayal, and Oyaji along with their fallen Nakama, just to bring him home.

And as he reminisced a life long gone, Ace can’t help but remember the last words shared between him and Pops. The man who had done so much for him just for the sake of it, and Ace hates himself for the fate that had befallen on the man who had become his father because of _him and his choices._

_“Was I good father?”_

His already fragile mind had cracked further into dust at those words, leaving him an emotional wreck in the centre of the battlefield as he fought alongside Luffy, and as he reminisced everything and realised were each and every action he had taken had led him to— on his deathbed, repaying with his life for a war he helped create— he wonders how things could have turned out differently if he didn’t try being a hero of convenience, if Teach hadn’t turned traitor and instead he followed Oyaji’s order to not follow after said traitor, and if Thatch Never found that accursed devil fruit and if Teach wasn’t so power obsessed and mad with eradicating Oyaji and finding the One Piece, and if those who believed in ‘Absolute Justice’ didn’t turn a blind eye to the real criminals and actually had a sense of morality.

And if none of that had happened, Thatch would be alive, _he_ would be very much alive and Luffy wouldn’t have to be _alone again_ , wouldn’t have to see him die and he - Ace could have seen his brother make it to the One Piece and become King of Pirates.

But that wasn’t the case though was it? It was nothing but a wishful dream that had been snatched out from existence the moment Thatch found the Yami Yami no Mi — setting the foundation of a life full of pain and misery for others and death for him. And Ace knows it’s so unbearably hard for his family, _for his nakama_ to see the death of Two brothers and a father, but it was worse, infinitely more worse for Luffy who had lost his last remaining brother. Luffy who always burned so bright, blinding even, that at times it would dull out the anguished screams that filled the battlefield and his last remaining words to him.

_”Thank you for loving me.”_

And Ace hopes, that if that timeline still exists, that Luffy is not living a life that is filled with adolescent anguish and that he carries on living a life full of unadulterated pure happiness with his _Nakama._

And as continues to ponder on everything that has already happened and trying to decapitate the meaning behind everything. There is one question that he so desperately needs an answer to.  
  
_Why had they risked themselves for a nobody like him?_

He couldn’t fathom as to what they had seen in him to think their lives was worthy of moving onto the afterlife just so he could live. Had they not known his foundation had been rocked to its core, weaving thin cracks into his already broken soul from years of abuse — years of neglect that it became a part of him, tailoring to him personally as the years pass by in order to root itself in the darkened abyss that had become his soul. And Ace hates how pessimistic he sounds, but what can he do when it’s nothing but the truth?

He was nothing more than a kindred spirit who longed to bring hell on Earth just to prove that he was more than Roger’s son, that he was more than a brother, a son and a pirate. That he was just another kid, shunned for their heritage and was nothing more than an innocent babe who was carrying the sins of a father long gone. Just another kid who longed for the freedom that came with sailing the seas. 

But that had been impossible because all everyone ever saw (bar Sabo, Luffy and Oyaji), was the son of Gol D. Roger and Ace hated his birth for father for that sole reason and with every stranger who had cursed Rogers name, it had fueled the anger in Ace, deepening his hatred for his father because....because he existed and had.... and Ace doesn’t know what his father had _truly done_ during his reign as a Pirate, and more so as _the Pirate King._

Truly looking back at his reasoning for hating his birth father, Ace wonders when he had become a blind and arrogant fool. His reasoning for detesting Roger was along the same lines as to why the world hates him.

Its sickening and Ace hates himself for his arrogance and his absolute, utter foolishness. Roger was someone he had never and would never come to know. Opinions were fickle and could change as quickly as the wind changed directions.

 _“_ _You know Ace, your father isn’t the man who the World Government make him out to be. Take it from his Cabin boy and apprentice.”_

Ace remembers how Shanks had spoken so fondly about Roger, _about his captain._

_“He was a man of honour, was never one to turn his back to injustice.”_

How he never truly had anything bad to say about the man, had even compared him to Oyaji.

_”He’s much like Whitebeard in the aspect that both give their whole unadulterated love for family. Family comes before everything and anything.”_

And Ace remembers when Shanks had said that, he had wondered if that had included him and the little hope that had blossomed at that moment because of those words had been on bar as to when Oyaji had called him _son._

It is now, with a lifetime of experiences under his belt, that Ace truly understands how similar he and his birth father are.

He experienced the same discrimination his father had because he had achieved what others couldn’t? and had simply made a name for himself. A name that had become recognised by all. Became what every pirate and soon to be pirate aspired to be. _Luffy and those other rookies had been prime examples!_

Roger and much like himself, their reputation had been twisted beyond recognition because people needed... people needed a scapegoat.... someone to take the fall for every bad that had come across the World Government, and with Roger being the most influential on the seas, had taken the blame, and he - Ace, son of Gol D. Roger, was seen as a threat because he could truly become his fathers son.

And for once, Ace doesn’t truly detest the idea of having Roger as his father, because the man hadn’t truly done any evil and had loved his family. His legacy had become corrupt because of the World Government. He has no right to hate a man that had done him no harm.

And he could leave Luffy to become the willing successor of Rogers inheritance.

With this revelation, Ace _~~thinks~~_ knows he’s decided the path that he would take on this new adventure, carving a path of one he knows without a doubt will not be full of regret, much like his previous life. And if not for himself, Ace knows he’s doing this for Sabo, for Luffy, Thatch, Oyaji, his former crew and the Whitebeard crew. They all deserved it, and so did he.

He turns to his blond brother, who’s looking at him expectantly, waiting for his question to be answered.

“My name.” He pauses, letting a smile adorn his face. “My name is Gol D. Ace.”

Because it matters not, whether he is Portgas D. Ace, or Gol D. Ace, and in the end, all most will see is his own self merging with Rogers blinding personality, and truly for once, Ace does not mind, because he will always be Ace to himself and to others who have rooted themselves in his steel cage heart.

-/


	3. Because He’s Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ace sees Luffy’s smile again, and thinks, _that’s home_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is all over the place😅 but hope you enjoy and sorry for any mistakes you may encounter!!

There are nights, when Sabo sleeps deeply and Ace _thinks,_ about everything and anything.

Thinks of how freedom is a gift from Sabo to Ace. Because Ace _remembers_ life without Sabo. Remembers the lonely nights spent scrounging through the forest, arguing with Dadan, fighting thugs and running from shitty Gramps’s so called marine training.

Remembers the days were he would _hope and wish_ to have a companion. To have that one person whom he could entrust his burdens too. One he could protect and share his deepest secrets with and to simply just be. No facades and simple honesty and trust between them.

And then came Sabo. Sabo who was so much like him but so painfully different. Sabo who had become a part of him, even in death. Sabo’s who’s will he had carried out in his first life and experienced his first everything's with, even if said brother hadn’t been there with him physically but spiritually.

They had been two kids who sought freedom more than anything else. Two _little_ _orphan boys_ — because that’s what they were, _still_ are, even if Sabo’s parents were still alive and kicking —- who longed for another by their side. And they had found that in each other.

One simple look, and a flash of understanding and their fates had been sealed.

Their lives, had essentially taken a leap of faith, and Ace is so glad, so happy that he met Sabo in both this life and the other because Ace doesn’t know what he would do without Sabo.

Sabo who is bright and intelligent and cunning and patient; the polar opposite of him. Ace was fire and Sabo was water. To contrasting elements but balanced each other out so perfectly. And Ace never thought he would meet someone who was tailored to fit him, to be his equal, but Sabo was that and...

Ace is so glad that he had never given into his inner demons during the first seven years of his second life, so glad he never listened to his traitorous thoughts about _ending it all,_ and he’s even more grateful towards seeing Sabo at Grey Terminal, for stepping in when he did, because if it wasn’t for him, would he still be here? Learning what freedom meant? Seeking out what his heart truly desired? _Freedom!_ Ace is so, so glad for Sabo.

And it’s nights like those, when Sabo sleeps deeply, and Ace _thinks,_ that he’s so grateful for his first friend, for his first brother because Ace knows he would be less of a man without Sabo having been present in his life. Would have been nothing less than the _demon_ everyone claimed him to be. Would have been lost without him, because it was Sabo who guided him towards the light at the end of his tunnel that _~~was~~_ is Luffy.

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

Family is a gift from Luffy to Ace.

The first time Ace met the enigma that was Monkey D. Luffy, he thought him to be _eager,_ _dumb, desperate and naive._

He was a constant ball of energy and smiles, never wavering and standing firm after every hit and verbal lashing given to him by Ace.

Always persistent and _eager_ , and because he was nothing less than simplicity combined, he had stood his ground when kidnapped by Prochemy and tortured into turning traitor.

But Luffy — _eager, dumb, desperate and naive —-_ kept their secret, endangered his life because...

_”being alone is much worse than getting hurt.”_

he wanted him, _Ace, not Sabo, but Ace_ to live for the sole reason of _needing him._ And Ace — _desperate, lonely, bitter, angry —_ felt his stomach flood with warmth that had his toes curling as a small flicker of fire blossomed into existence in the darkened abyss that had been his soul.

Luffy since then had become the light at the end of Ace’s tunnel, because Luffy always burned bright enough to dull out the treacherous thoughts that had accompanied him when he hadn’t accepted Roger as his father. Smiled bright enough that Ace always knew that as long as Luffy was there, by his side, he was invincible.

And as Ace compared the blessings that came with Sabo and Luffy, he realises that were Sabo gave him companionship and taught him about _dreams and freedom_ , Luffy taught him how to love himself, taught him how to love others and what family truly means? Luffy gave him _a family and a reason to live!_

But Ace is a ~~_man_~~ boy with too much trauma, who has trust issues and is clouded by fear and that anything he deems to good to be true will always end in tragedy much like his first lifetime.  
  
_It’s hard_ , Ace thinks, seeing yourself living a life that isn’t filled with adolescent anguish. A life full of unadulterated pure happiness. It’s even more hard when you’re only ten summers old and your foundation has been rocked to its core, weaving thin cracks into your already broken soul from years of verbal abuse from strangers— tailoring to you personally as the years pass by in order to root itself in the darkened abyss that has become your soul. And Ace hates how pessimistic he still sounds as a child, but what can he do when it is nothing but the truth?

And sometimes, Ace was _afraid_ that if he so much as blinked, everything would vanish out from existence and he’d find himself bloodied and battered behind somewhere in Grey Terminal, or in Dadans hut as she treated his wounds — years before he met either Sabo and Luffy. And he would be all alone again.

And Ace knows his fears are rational, because _Ace_ remembers a time before _Sabo’s death_ , when he was taken by his father, that Ace _wondered_ which of them would be first to leave the world of living and move onto the other side. Wondered if it would be him in all his bitter glory, leaving Sabo and Luffy with nothing but bittersweet memories of himself and them in the torture device that may come to be their mind, or would it be Luffy, with his lack of self preservation, running to his death unknowingly, leaving him and Sabo as he flickered, _withering_ into nothing but a burnt out sun. But in the end, it had been Sabo who was the first to leave, making him the successor to carry out his will, but now, he’s here, _young, wild and alive_ and has a chance to right his wrong.

But fear is something that is deeply ingrained in Ace. Seeing Sabo’s death once was hard enough, but he wouldn’t let it happen again. And Luffy, _sweet, eager, dumb, desperate and naive_ Luffy had nearly died because of him.

And Ace vows to not let such possibilities be possible again. Knows that they won’t happen, _knows he won’t let it happen_ because Ace is selfish before he is anything else.

So when Garp comes through the clearing, holding Luffy from the scruff of his shirt, Ace feels his breath hitch and eyes water...

Because it’s so surreal Ace thinks, hands clenched into fists by his side as he examines the young boy who had grown up into a fine young _man,_ who had come to rescue his brother and in the end, only to see his efforts go to waste as he holds his brothers limp and dead form. Ace promises himself that he won’t lose him, like they lost Sabo the first time round. Won’t let Luffy lose him and see his death, because Luffy...because Luffy, sweat, dumb Luffy was too good to experience such horrors and pain a second time round.

And as Ace realises the impacts of history repeating itself, he can’t stop... can’t stop the tears, can’t stop the guilt, and most of all, Ace can’t stop the pure and unadulterated love that surges through him at seeing _Luffy again,_ because it’s Luffy, one of his most important treasure that he had left behind in a world that was nothing more than a morbid reflection of the Ace he had once been....

so when those brown orbs connect with his own grey ones, and Ace sees _understanding_ _and love_ in them, and Ace sees Luffy’s smile, he weeps and thinks, _that’s home._

_-/_


	4. It Goes A Little Like This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Interconnected moments of fluff, spanning through Luffy’s first week spent with Ace & Sabo. Not in order!!!.)
> 
> _When Luffy smiles and Ace laughs, Sabo is truly happy._

_It goes a little like this;_

_when Ace sees Luffy’s smile he thinks that’s home!_

_but_ _when Luffy smiles, and Ace laughs, Sabo is truly happy._

_He doesn’t realise it, but Ace does._

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

It’s Sabo and Ace. The demons of Grey Terminal and the never ending cause of Dadan’s headaches.

It’s Ace and Sabo. The cause of Garps tantrums because it’s the romantic idealism of piracy that draws them in and turns them away from being upstanding holders of absolute justice.

It’s always been Sabo and Ace or Ace and Sabo. Just the two of them against the world. Two lonely boys trying to find their place in the never ending blues, but in the end, being by each other’s side is the only place for them, _the only place they belong._

Sabo always believed it would be them, Ace and Sabo, against the world, now and forever. It’s been just them for three years so far.

Three years of being us against them. Them against us and Sabo wouldn’t have it any other way.

But there are nights, when Ace sleeps and Sabo _feels_ that there should be another squished in between them, snoring away as his limps smack them into oblivion as they all slumber away together and when morning dawns, they reign chaos and terror on Dadan and the bandits.

There’s a part of Sabo that yearns for another companion, another brother, one that is younger than he and Ace. One they dote on because he’s a boundless sack of energy that attracts trouble and they are willing to fetch the stars for him to see him safe and sound.

And Sabo knows it’s something that will not come true, knows it’s simply part of childhood, a phase that every child wants a younger sibling for the sake of it, but Sabo’s _guts, Sabo’s instincts_ tell him it’s not just that, and there’s something big at play and it will not always be Ace and Sabo, or Sabo and Ace.

Somewhere, deep inside Sabo knows there’s supposed to be another, running behind he and Ace, shouting for their names as they tumble towards an uncertain future filled with adventure, somewhere far and grand on the blues. 

Knows that there’s another soul out there, _crying, yearning_ for them. That a little boy who’s smile is as blinding as the sun and heart as big as the ocean is waiting for two other boys to stand by his sides as they reign chaos on a world that shunned the existence of one, took the freedom of the other and left another lonely and unhappy in a world that would be reduced to nothing but a desolate canvas that would not recover for years on end — much like themselves without the other.

But uncertainty had always been ( _still is_ ) Sabo’s best friend long before Ace. When he was still a caged bird, waiting to stretch his wings as he sought freedom through the silver bars of his prison. Watching with a deep seated longing towards the gate that lead to Grey Terminal. _Towards Freedom._

Then comes Garp one evening, dragging the scruff of a scrawny little boy, with a too big strawhat bouncing on his back, a crescent scar beneath his eye and the boy simply radiates _warmth_ and it’s nights like those when Ace sleeps and Sabo _feels_ and the uncertainty regarding everything and anything in his life is wiped out. And when those warm, brown eyes connect with his own, Sabo _knows_ they are finally complete, and that two has become three and will forever more be three. _No less, no more._

And Sabo knows Ace agrees because Ace is _crying_ and looking at the newest addition as though he hung the moon, sun and stars in one sitting. Looks as though he’s been told _he’s wanted, that’s he’s loved and that him being alive is the greatest treasure anyone could ask for. And Sabo agrees, because Ace is Ace and he is loved and deserves the world to be delivered to him on a golden platter._

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

He’s a little lighter, as though whatever sins sat ablaze heavy on his shoulder had chipped away with early morning rays as rubbery limbs followed after him, and Sabo realises he’s never seen Ace ever look his age, never heard his laugh sound as carefree as it did at this moment, and never seen his smile so big, so bright that it nearly matched the intensity of Luffy’s own smile. 

And Sabo’s heart feels warm and content. In the three years he’s known Ace, Sabo knew the boy hadn’t truly given himself over to him, always leaving a part of himself to the side, as though belonging to another, never lending more more than needed, and whilst the little, tiny head in him roars in jealousy at Ace laying himself bare to Luffy so early in the relationship, he’s mostly happy to see his friend act and look his age.

“I’m telling you Ace, rubber is much cooler than fire! Have you seen my punches? They’re as strong as a pistol!” Sabo could only watch in amusement as Luffy’s arm stretched and stretched, before snapping back with full force towards him and consequently punching himself instead of Ace.

Ace’s laughter rang throughout the forest at the display; “uh-uh, whatever you say Luffy.”

”I’ll show you Ace! I’ll be stronger and stronger and then you won’t be laughing at me!” 

_Yeah_ , Sabo thinks, as his eyes never waver from the two ravens bickering, _it’s them against the world._

And Sabo doesn’t realise the fluttering of his heart, but it’s alright, _because Ace does._

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

  
  
“Hey Luffy.” 

“mhm?”

”Wanna hear a secret?” Luffy’s head perks up in interest, shoving his face right in front of Ace, and Sabo can’t help but chuckle at the dopey, but fond look Ace gives to Luffy.

”uh-uh, tell me Ace!”

”You know how you say you want to be Pirate King?” Luffy nods and the smirk that made its way onto Ace’s face stretches, bringing up his index and middle finger, Ace goes to poke at Luffy’s forehead, finishing off his sentence as he does so. “Well you can’t be.”   
  
The look of abject horror and defiance on Luffy’s face has both Ace and Sabo sniggering — but the expression doesn’t last long for it turns into one of anger.

”Yes I will! I’m going to be King of the Pirates and find the One Piece! I promised Shanks!” 

“As if I’m letting a crybaby like you find it! Any anyways, The Pirate King was my father, so it’s only right that I find the one piece.” Ace’s face takes on a gleeful look as Luffy’s eyes shine with stars at hearing who Ace’s father is.

”Thats so cool! Your father was the Pirate King?! You should join my crew then Ace, and then we can both find the One Piece!”

And fist meets head. “Listen here Luffy, I’m not letting a crybaby like you be my captain. Once we set sail, we’ll be enemies you here, so it’s better for you to join my crew!”

Its the start of another days bickering and with Luffy now knowing Ace’s father, Sabo knows, that they have always been destined for each other, all meeting under the same blue sky and Sabo can’t help but think Fate is a funny thing.

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

It’s hours later, in the comforting silence that blanketed the night, with Luffy snuggled in between them that Sabo breaks the silence with his voice, blindly reaching for the rubbery fingers he has become accustomed to in mere hours — interlocking them with his own pale one, before turning to Ace, speaking his mind.

“He feels like home Ace, bright and warm and never ending, like the ocean and sky combined.” 

“And when he smiles, it’s as though nothing can go wrong.” Ace adds on, voice fond as he shuffles closer to the youngest.

”Yeah.” Sabo agrees, letting the silence cocoon them, letting the memories of today settle in.

”I’ve always known that it couldn’t be just the two of us. Just Ace and Sabo. The demon duo of Grey Terminal. And I don’t mean it to sound as though I am ungrateful to you Ace, but there are times when I _feel_ that there should be another with us, chasing us, following behind in our shadows and looking at us as though we are his greatest treasure. And I guess Luffy was that missing piece.” Sabo confesses not long after, feeling indebted to let Ace know now that Luffy is here, slumbering in between them, leeching of their warmth and Sabo _feels_ complete and whole.

”You’re not the only one Sabo.” Ace’s voice is nostalgic and Sabo can here the telltale signs of his voice cracking and eyes dampening. “I’ve always known about Luffy in someways, more than I should really, but...” Ace trails off, a smile flittering at the corners of his lips. “Seeing him today, I felt alive and new. It felt as though everything just flipped on it’s axis, washed clean. A new beginning with no hurtful past to keep me from reaching whatever I desire ya know?”

And Sabo understands what Ace means, always will understand what he means because he had felt the same way.

Luffy had become the pinnacle of change in the new path set out for them. Two lonely boys, hidden somewhere amidst the never ending blues become three, a future that they cannot foreshadow awaits them, and Sabo can’t wait to see where life takes them now that Luffy had stormed his way into their lives like an atomic bomb, imprinting himself into their hearts and souls in mere hours.

The thought excites him, brings a new vigorous meaning to what his life means, _could mean_. Brims him with different scenarios of adventures that awaits for him, Ace and Luffy, somewhere in the not so distant future. 

“Everything is already changing isn’t it Ace?” It’s in the air they breath, it’s in the words exchange between two boys, it’s complied into a little rubbery boy, but the verbal assurance makes it that much surreal and Sabo wants to hear it from Ace’s very own lips.

”Yeah ‘Bo. Life just got that much more annoying.”

”I can’t wait.” Sabo’s voice is gleeful and Ace huffs a small laugh.

”Me too ‘Bo, me too.”

And Sabo knows, as sleep claims him as his, that’s it’s them against the world.

Three lonely boys, connected under one moon, and Sabo dares to hope....

-/


	5. The Blind Genius - Monkey D. Garp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy dwells on the concept of brothers and history catches up to Garp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah ngl, the idea of having Garp being ‘reborn’ and remember his ‘past life’ was the only solution I could come up with to fix some problems and because I absolutely adore that shitty geezer and his shitty ways.😌
> 
> (Ace doesn’t know that Garp remembers as well)
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes you may encounter, hope you enjoy!!

Brothers is a concept that Luffy doesn’t quite understand, doesn’t quite know what it means, doesn’t understand it’s significant and the weight it bears, but he knows that families are sometimes made up of a brother and a sister, and that there is two adults, a mom and a dad, that are responsible for them (according to Yassop), and that _that_ is what you call a family.

But Luffy doesn’t know what Family means either, doesn’t know what it entitles to. Doesn’t quite grasp what a mother or father is, and what their roles are towards children, only that they are the beginning of creating families.

Luffy’s understanding of what family means is limited with his experience and bond with his Gramps, who’s visits are few and far between. He doesn’t quite understand what his Gramps role in his life is, but he knows that there is always a steady hand to help him when said Gramps goes a little to far in training, that’s there’s always a comforting presence when nights dawns and Gramps tells him of his adventures and that there’s always a little extra food on his plate when he’s more hungry than usual.

So if Luffy was to be asked of his understanding and definition of what family means to him, it would be compiled into one word.

_Grandpa._

Yet, here he was, forging another bond, one he did not quite understand the significance off. 

Luffy wondered if it would be like his bond with Gramps; the warm, comforting hand that sends him to sleep, the gruff laughter that would follow after he confesses his love for Gramps and would then be treated to meat, even when not hungry, or those rare moments when his Gramps would let him ride on his back or shoulders and let him explore the world from such height, letting his nonsense chatter fill in silence and his Gramp’s eyes would always have a soft look in them that made Luffy feel happy, wanted and loved.

He would adore to have another bond, but all those things are special to him and Gramps and Luffy doesn’t want to share it with two other people. Doesn’t want a bond that replicates the one he was with Gramps, because _it’s theirs. Luffy and Gramps. Gramps and Luffy._ He wants each bond he has with with different people to be _different_ , and special and unique in its own ways. Never the same with a touch of originality coated upon it.

So Luffy would have to know what it meant to be brothers. Such word was a foreign aspect in his life, always whispered and talked about around him, yet he could never reach and understand it’s significance and the importance behind the seven letter word. _Brothers._

”Ne, Sabo, Ace. What does being brothers mean?”

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

  
  
Admittedly, it’s doesn’t surprise Luffy that he still doesn’t _quite_ understand the concept of brothers in ways other ‘normal’ people understood it, but it doesn’t itch and gnaw at him like it first did when Ace mentioned the word, only because he has a rough understanding of it in the way _only Gramps and he_ would understand it. It was what Makino dubbed as ‘Luffy and Garp’s Mystery Logic.’

And Luffy is quite proud of his understanding because whilst he couldn’t express it verbally, it was through physical touch _, feeling and observing_ that he had come to an understanding of the bond he had come to share with Ace and Sabo.

It made him feel giddy in a way knowing that he could _declare_ it to the world that he had _brothers,_ and that they wouldn’t refute his claim in any way, shape or form.

Made the loneliness that shrouded him like a winters cloak slip away as Ace and Sabo pulled him close when sleep was dancing on his lanky frame, or when they would shower him with affection when his thoughts made him upset.

Ignited a sense of belonging in him because for once, Luffy had a place to call home, two someone’s to return to, even if things got bad. 

Many things were similar yet so different in this bond of brotherhood compared to the bond between him and Gramps, and Luffy comes to realise that whilst his bond with his Gramps would not grow from where it stood, sharing brotherhood ensured for growth and finality when all three of them truly excepted the roles of each other in their intertwined lives.

And as Luffy cuddled between his _brothers,_ he can’t help but feel that a family doesn’t need to include this ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ figures that Yassop talked about. That it only needs to consist of people you have a deep connection and understanding with, people who come to love you unconditionally as you come to love them.

And as Sleep claims Luffy, he thinks if someone were to ask him of his understanding and definition of what family means to him, it would be compiled into three names.

_Garp._

_Ace._

_Sabo._

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

He wondered were he had gone wrong, wondered when everything had started to deteriorate with each step taken towards the future. When every decision made, and orders followed reaped more consequences than they could sow.

Wondered how everything deviated, when morality became nothing but a word to hide behind when committing crimes they blamed on innocent Pirates.

Hypocrisy had become the foundation of the Marines, crumbling their beliefs to nothing but rubble and dust, hidden under a facade of ‘absolute justice’ that chipped away as Pirates stormed through the seas like an atomic bomb; fighting for their own sense of morality, and Garp remembers how sweet, innocent Luffy had been amongst those.

And it was moments like those, seeing Pirates, the one they had painted in unfair lights, grouping them together and calling them misfits, do a better job of protecting the citizens, that Garp wondered for a moment if their roles were reversed, and in actuality, Pirates were the true ‘good guys’. And in his eyes, and his apprentice Coby, that little ‘what if’, was perhaps a semblance of truth to them.

The World Government and it’s people were nothing more than bigoted, power hungry individuals who banded together to create the society they lived in.

And Garp — _compassionate, eager, empathetic—_ had joined the Marines in hoping to better this world. To become a symbol of ‘absolute justice’, and help those in need.

Yet with every good thought to be good, was nothing but a perfectly crafted facade, but he had known, somewhere deep within his conscience knew that his goal was unreachable and unattainable as the sky. Because with people like Akainu, who had a strong sense of justice that was warped and distorted beyond recognition, had climbed the ladders, reigning terror and choas with every step taken on a land that was of no threat to the World Government.

Failing countries after countries, but the two that would always make Garp feel hollow and ill and question his beliefs, was Ohara and Flevance. Two countries that they had failed. There had been no mercy, killing all citizens, both only having one sole survivor. Leaving them both angry and bitter at the world Government and Garp understood, by God did he understand. But his empathy was not needed when he had simply turned a blind eye, and pretended.

But he had been thankful for Saul for he had been the opening little Nico Robin needed to escape, and Aokiji, who had respected Saul, had let the girl go, despite the fact that Saul had become a traitor to the Marine and Robin had become the first child to recieve a bounty at the age of eight. Garp respected Saul’s courage to do what he couldn’t do for Ace.

And speaking of Ace, he had been Garps first failure, and the most haunting of all for him, for he had been the indirect cause of his oldest Grandson’s death who had been captured and set for execution for sins that were not his own, and he, Garp had done nothing, but sat next to his grandson and had only offered nothing but mere comforting words, that had been one the last words exchanged between them.

_”I have no sympathy for criminals, but for family I do.”_

And the boy he had somewhat raised, and came to love, left a world that had become nothing but an endless abyss of wrongdoings, that shunned his existence because of whom his sire had been.

and perhaps it was he that was fragile, and not his thoughts, becoming nothing but broken shards of the man he once aimed to be. And loathe he is to admit such...flaw in himself, Garp thinks it fitting for a man who chosen duty over family.

To be reduced into nothing but a shell of a man, broken remnants for what Marines truly stood for and this had been his punishment, relieving Ace’s death until he finally came to term that if he had helped him, like Saul helped Robin, Ace could have lived and he would not be reduced to a shell of a man.

But Garp is thankful nonetheless, for he had learnt from his mistakes and had been bestowed with a.... second chance? Ace’s death had haunted him, mocked him in the confines of his mind, which had cracked and cracked and cracked until it finally shattered and he broke.  
  
And now, after months of coming to terms that he was here, nearly a decade before Ace’s death, Garp ~~_wants_~~ needs to see him, and he had, bringing a defiant Luffy with him, and the nostalgia that had hit, had Garp smiling a bit.

Because looking back, Garp knows that had been the only right thing he had ever done, letting Ace and Luffy meet, and not long after, Sabo joining their merry band of misfits who had been drawn in the romanticism of Piracy.

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

  
  
The second time Garp reflects about his past misgivings, it’s the horrible realisation that Sabo would ‘die’ and Ace would see, and believe his brother ceased to exist, leaving nothing but memories and dreams and a simple letter in his wake.

But Garp remembers seeing Sabo alive and being the second in command for the revolutionary that his no good son had built, and it had his heart echoing in ears, breath coming out in short pants and all he could think about was Ace. Ace who left the world thinking that he left Luffy alone with no brothers to see him become Pirate King, left the world to early thinking his blonde brother had died that day when shot in his little dingy, but in actuality had been saved by Dragon, but the price for being alive had been his memories.

Garp thought that to be his second failure, and with him now remembering that this could be another replication of past he did not want happening again, Garp is long off, ignoring Sengoku’s shouts for him to stay and complete his paperwork, but that is something that will not happen unless he knows his no good grandsons are safe and sound.

A week later when he arrives at Dadan’s hut, the nervous fluttering of his heart comes to a stop as his eyes took in the three boys devouring their food as they spoke about Piracy.

And with old habits dying hard, fist meets three head and Garp is pleased to note that he still has the same effects on his no good grandsons. 

“Is this how you greet your Grandfather! Another Fist of Love may just do the trick in that case.” He bellows out, raising his fist again, and before it can connect to either three, his sweetest grandson Luffy is already wrapping his arms around his neck, rocketing himself into his chest.

”I missed you Gramps!” And Garp will never deny that he melts at hearing such words. Luffy had always been free and open in his affection, even when he didn’t deserve it.

”Of course you did.” He turns to the other two boys, expecting them to be scowling and grumbling at him, well he expects Ace to do so, Sabo is much too polite for that, but instead, Ace’s eyes shine with unshed tears, and his smile is soft and watery and Garp feels himself flatter, because for as long as he could remember, Little Ace at this age had never seem to truly like him, let alone expressing any other emotion besides anger.

”Didn’t you miss your old man.” And if Garps voice broke a little when Ace comes running into his legs, arms gripping with desperation, leaving Garp lost at the turn of events, it doesn’t matter as he welcomes it, scooping the boy into his arms as he gestures for Sabo to come closer, before embracing the three into his arms.

They don’t say much for once, and Garp doesn’t bother with his usual antics and simply lets his boys be and doesn’t question it when Ace snuggles into him further, playing with his fingers with the occasional sniffs in between, vowing to himself to understand and find out what caused this changed in his usually angry and bitter grandson.

So the days continue to pass by in a swirl of colors, him observing Ace who has come to act his age, the darkness that once clouded his eyes gone and in place, shows a soft and happy look, as though a new page has been turned over and he is no longer carrying the world on his back.

But there are moments when Ace has a far away look on his eyes, and they moisten with unshed tears and nails dig into skin, carving little cuts into them that lets Garp knows that not everything is alright as it seems.

And with the way Ace continues to hover around Sabo, anxiously tugging at his own hair, Garp, for a moment thinks that he and Ace are in the same predicament, but he says nothing for now, waiting until night dawns for him to speak to Ace alone.

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

Seeing Gramps for the second time without being so focused on Luffy has Ace tearing up. He hadn’t realised how much he had come to miss the shitty old man and his shitty ways, but Garp had been one the adults who had been there for him growing up, even if the visits had been few and far between and had consisted of shitty Marine training. But their had been times when they spent time together as Ace and Gramps, and those were moments he had come to enjoy and treasure.

Garp had been a pillar of sorts, because he had been one the first, if not, the very first person who had come to love Ace for himself, despite his heritage and the problems that had come with hiding a wanted man’s child, but yet the man had taken him in as his own and had come to love his own grandson, without expecting anything in return (except trying to bully him into becoming a marine).

And seeing the man again, had brought forth the same pure, and unadulterated love he has for Luffy and Sabo, and when he ran and clung to the man’s leg in a fit of desperation, he thanked God that the shitty old man didn’t question the abnormality of him showing affection.

The days spent with his Gramps had consisted of no shitty Marine training, and instead simply hunting together, letting Garp talk their ears off about the people he met on his adventures and the time he spent annoying his fellow marines.

And Ace comes to enjoy this, because for once the four of them have spent time as a family, something that had not happened in their previous timeline and Ace comes to treasure these moments, sticking close to Garp for the duration of his stay.

And sometime during the fourth day, when the sun sets and the wind caresses the tip of his hair and Sabo and Luffy are cuddled up together, snoring away, he feels his Garp tug at his hand, gesturing with his head to walk with him.

”Come on Ace.” Garp mumbles as they take the path behind Dadan’s hut, venturing into somewhat unknown territory, and as the duo continue to walk, Garp takes a different turn, leading them towards the rocky hills with built in caves— both now standing side by side as they watch the swaying leaves on the trees, sunset on the brink of giving way to night.

They don’t speak for a while and Ace feels nerved at such silence between them — it feels suffocating somehow, as though Garp is delving deep into his soul, stripping him naked, unraveling all his secrets to be seen by many and Ace knows Garp is capable of such feat. And it’s for a moment, that Ace wants to go back to being just Garp and Ace. The Marine hero and his troubled grandson.

”You’ve changed Ace.” Garp is the first to break the silence , his voice somber as he says those words.

And Ace can’t help but agree with that statement, _because he has changed. War had changed him. Luffy had changed him. His other brothers had changed him. His experiences has changed him._ But he can’t say that to Garp. Garp doesn’t deserve to be burdened with a past long gone. One that ceased to exist the moment he was bestowed with a second chance to right his wrongs.

”You also have changed shitty Gramps. It’s an inevitable process, it happens to the best of us.” 

“You’ve misunderstood me Ace.” His Gramps says, voice unusually soft as his eye turn towards his oldest Grandson, Fist raised and Ace feels his heart lodge in his throat at such an act (for once) — but his fear of facing his Gramps doesn’t stop his instincts from kicking in, his own fist raised.

Garp carries on, not batting an eye at his grandsons stance — eyes full of understanding and...and some other emotion that Ace can’t exactly pinpoint, but it looks eerily similar to guilt.

”You have the eyes of a protector. Albeit a misguided, guilt driven one. Eyes that have seen and experienced war. War has touched your frame hasn’t it foolish grandson of mine.” It’s more of a statement then it is a question and Ace feels as though everything he had worked hard to maintain was crumbling to dust as he faces off with his beloved Gramps.

But then this is Monkey D. Garp, a prodigy — a genius in his own right, a Marine Hero who had risen to the rank of Vice Admiral in mere months. He’s a man who doesn’t dismiss any possibilities despite how absurd it may be or sound. An answer will always be an answer to him if he can find enough evidence to back up his theories. And Ace shouldn’t be surprised that his Gramps had been _assessing him, analysing him, piecing together whatever evidence he had left in his wake._

But Gramps shouldn’t have to. Shouldn’t have to burden himself with his oldest grandson’s foolish mistakes — fixing his cracks when he’s already done more than enough. From hiding him, to protecting him, to loving him and so many other things he had never owed Ace to, but yet he had. But Ace knows that at this point, nothing will stop Garp from unraveling the whole truth, if it means it would continue protecting him until he couldn’t — no matter how many times he had shouting matches with said Gramps, arguing back and forth like street rats. He doesn’t want Garp to be part of his journey to redemption, — it wouldn’t be fair on either of them.

“Shitty Gramps...” His voice cracks, the telltale sign that everything he has locked up since his second chance was about to explode in a torrent, ready to tear him apart. His Gramps simply bends down to one knee, tugging him into his embrace and Ace can’t help but latch onto him — seeking comfort within his arms — willing the tears to not fall, telling himself that it’s alright to be weak in-front of family.

“You are still a child Ace. Do not burden yourself with whatever mistakes you may have made. Grow from them... and do not think yourself above from asking for help. I’ll always be here for you Ace, no matter what.” And Ace knows Garp speaks the truth, for the man had said similar words to him when he had been nothing but a walking corpse — but still, he couldn’t do this to Garp, always relying on him to fix his problems for him. He wouldn’t grow by being so reliant on his shitty Gramps.

And as if sensing his oldest grandsons confliction and his inner turmoil, the Marine Hero tightens Ace in his embrace. “Am I not your Grandfather Ace?” And at those words, Ace can feel his tears leaking into the old geezers shirt.

”Life hasn’t been easy on me.” He mutters into Garp’s chest.

“I know Ace, but know I’ll always be here for you, so will Sabo and Luffy, you no good grandsons of mine.” So Ace supposes having one person to confine in wouldn’t hurt, and since this was Garp, a man who had tried his best at protecting him till his capture and execution, everything may turn out even better in the end because Garp would always be steps ahead, having contingency plan within a contingency plan, because while Garp’s stupidity knew no bounds, much like Luffy, the man would do anything for family. So maybe, just this once, being dependent on Garp wouldn’t hurt as much as he thought it would be and the positives would outweigh the negatives by a mile.

”You promise?” 

“Always Ace.”

_So Ace supposes he can let Garp be his pillar of stability once again until he’s finished saving his precious people and overthrowing the World Government ._

-/


	6. Set Me On A Journey — and let me wander

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garp reminisces of a time after Ace’s death, and future past events are shared between grandson and grandfather.

“....and it was through the mindless bloodshed and killing that has taught many of us a a valuable lesson —- a harsh but valuable lesson — that everyone’s sense of morality differs, that what the Marines consider ‘good’ and ‘bad’ is nothing but a farce because as humans, _as Pirates and as Marines,_ guilt, fear and resentment is what drives to define and draw a line between our own sense of justice, what is necessarily ‘wrong’ and ‘right’. And sometimes it’s our own definition that what leads us to believe that killing off our enemies ensures the safety of our loved ones. But what we do not realise is that it is only a short term solution for our actions. Because it is in our nature to be greedy, unforgiving and cruel when our emotions overrules our logic. And that means we’ll kill those who killed our precious ones, and as long as we feel that we are right, and have a reasoning behind our actions, everything is justified, even if it goes against someone else’s concept of right and wrong, and that is what draws a line between Pirates and Marines. And it had been your death, that ended the old era and began a new one, leading to Pirates making alliances and making a mockery out of the Marines. Your death, had essentially been the pinnacle of change for all, paving the road for a better future, and letting the revolutionary tear down the World Government.”

Ace listens with a heavy heart, bile churning in the pits of his stomach as his Gramps speaks of the crimes committed by the Marines, how his name and death had been the leading factor of the chaos that ensured and further ignited the hostility between Marine and Pirates, how his Gramps guilt at letting him die chipped away at his personality, but had still fought in his name, so another case like his didn’t happen — had even retired from being a Marine because he blamed himself for Ace’s death even though all Garp ever did was protect him, and the one time he hadn’t, it had broken him beyond repair.

And Ace wonders if had been a bit more careful and level headed, would his shitty Gramps still suffer and continuously worry about him even in death? — drowning in guilt and grief at letting himself follow ‘duty’ when all he wanted was to have his grandsons safe and very much alive. If Ace hadn’t been an idiot and ruled by his stupidity, greed, anger and resentment and had listened to Pops, shitty Gramps wouldn’t be beating himself Black and Blue and instead would be chasing him and Luffy around the blues, ranting about his no good grandsons. And it’s that thought of a possible future that could’ve happened that has Ace damning himself, _damning Teach, damning Akainu and damming the World Government to hell and back._

And as Ace goes to apologise for all his crimes against Gramps...the words lodge in his throat, unable to come out....

Because... 

He’s not one for apologies but even he knows saying ‘sorry Gramps’ wouldn’t be enough to wipe him clean because his Gramps is far too gone, far too broken — carrying the sins of a grandson long dead with his own sins and guilt and grief sitting ablaze on his shoulders as well as the internal scars that would forever remind him of what he had been once. And it’s for a moment that Ace wants to carry all his Gramps burden, relieve him of his guilt, set him free because in his eyes, Gramps will always be his hero and it will always be his _duty as the oldest grandson to not burden his Gramps with all sins and crimes._

But he cannot for he’s a lifetime too late. A lifetime in which his Gramps had sought justice and peace by helping his son as redemption for not saving him from death, and in the end, carrying the punishment of those who had ignited the flames of his guilt — he, himself being among them, being the first. _And it sickens Ace._ He hates that it’s his fault that his foolish, brave Gramps had walked down a road of guilt and grief— all for his sake. And what had Ace gained out of his endeavours? Nothing but becoming a walking corpse, leaving nothing but bittersweet memories of those who had treasured him once upon a time. 

He doesn’t deserve Gramps, not now, not ever because this man — this man who always protected him, loved him, cared for him and would pound him with his fist of love— had fought for him even after his supposed death in a timeline that vanished into existence. And Ace doesn’t know whether to be proud or guilt ridden at such dedication towards him — so he settles on both, because truly, what he felt was of small significance in the wider picture. He had to make sure Gramps didn’t live in another hell on Earth because he owed it to Gramps and his other precious people this and more and Ace may not know how to make up for years of mental scarring and trauma he has caused his Gramps — but he’s a man of his word and he’d protect his Gramps this time round.

* * *

**Burn Twice as Bright**

* * *

  
It’s suffocating and constricting and too hot... and...and Ace can’t breath, can’t see and can’t feel and his head feels light and everything is dizzy and merging together in one big blob, and Garps voice is nothing but the dull roar of the ocean waves, but yet the words that had been uttered by him still rang as clear Luffy’s heart wrenching scream when he had died in his Arms.

And everything isn’t what he thought it to be.

But it had to be a lie and simply a hallucination because Gramps had been emotionally unstable, but Gramps had no need to lie, had no reason to shower him in lies that would break the pair of them beyond repair.

Yet Ace wanted it to be, only because he had died before he could reunite with a brother that was supposed to be dead, who was supposed to be nothing but a ghost of a childhood that had only left memories of them and he as a last act of a final goodbye.

Grief, Ace had realised at a young age is bittersweet and melancholy, because when one grieves for another, it’s a hard pill to swallow that the person they are grieving for will never return and their fate had been sealed long before their birth. That their death had been written, and set accordingly, and no amount of detours and manipulation in life could change it.

It was a set process — secure in it’s will and never changing. Setting the reality that they would forever cease to exist in nothing but memories for some, and in writings for the world to read about their adventures. 

_(like Sabo, then it had been Thatch and not long after himself and Oyaji._

_But Sabo had never truly died, but he had in someways. He had lost a decade of his memory, leaving him to pick the broken shards of his personality and fragments of memories, constructing them and building himself anew, and Ace will never know how much his brother had changed, or if he had stayed the same Sabo he had always known as a child._

_But children grow and become adults,and don’t stay the same and it brings a different type of hurt in Ace, knowing that they had both missed out in each other’s prime years, but at least, Sabo had been there for Luffy after he ceased to exist.)_

They had fallen, one after the other — like domino pieces — and he the only man left standing until it was his time to become one with the wind. And as Ace reminisces of legends long gone — he wonders which one of his next precious people would lay beneath his feet as they leave nothing but bittersweet memories of themselves and he in the torture device that is currently his mind — would it be Sabo again in all his optimistic glory who would fall into deaths clasps, leaving him in a world that is nothing but a morbid reflection of himself — or would it be Thatch again, the red haired sunshine he had come to love, who would wither into becoming nothing but a burnt out sun as he flickers out of this wretched world because he had been a failure much like the first time round?

And Ace knows such thoughts are considered to be morbid and horrifying - but with a _man_ like him who’s nothing but washed out cloud — it seems a reasonable question for he’s failed many lives— leaving him to be their unwilling successor and he hates it.  
  
And Ace hopes, by God does he hope, that whatever this chance may be, that the future isn’t set in stone and that he doesn’t fail them again, leaving him to pick himself up again and once more inherit the legacies they left behind.

Because Ace hates how _they_ gaze at him — _expecting, judging, believing—_ and he just hates it. They see the phantoms of legends gone in his wake — merging with his own twisted soul just as how the Marines had seen Rogers ghost merge with his shadow, and Ace wonders if these people walked a mile in his shoes — would they be so willing to carry legacies of legends long gone when they could do nothing but bow before carved stones from sunrise to sunset? Wallowing in grief and self hatred that leaves you wanting to howl, beg, scream and cry till your vocal cords collapses on you? He doubts so because they’re nothing but blissful imbeciles who have been protected from the horror that consumes their world — living a life of tranquility as Pirates and the one-in-good Marine fight to keep what little peace that has touched upon their world — seducing them into its falsified legends but Ace knows better — Peace is nothing more than a word, a child’s belief, because men have tried and failed to attain such thing.

And that realisation hurts Ace even more because he had been one of the many victims to be caged by the Marines and the World Government, but Sabo had suffered a far worse at the hands at those who established the marines and had been rescued and decided to fight against them.

He’s happy, so, so happy that Sabo survived.

A sound between a laugh and a sob escapes his lips as he tries to catch his breath, Gramps simply pats his head as he dries his tears and Ace is thankful for the man for giving him this information. Because Ace feels a little lighter and some of his past guilt he has carried to this lifetime have up and left.

”Guess one man’s evil is another man’s salvation?”

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

Garp doesn’t care much for rules, hasn’t cared for them since smuggling a newborn Ace under the marines nose. He doesn’t care much for anything that has to do with obedience and following authority — not since Ace’s death that is. He makes his own decisions now, makes his own rules — because it was following authority that cost him a grandson.

And with his and Ace’s recent developments, Garp compares both lifetimes and wonders what changes will cause a big enough ripple that the same future will not come into play.

It doesn’t take long for a solution to rush to the forefront of his mind as he watches his three grandsons tussle around with each other, laughing and acting their age, and it brings a worn, but proud smile to his face. Their childhood had been far from a fairytale, yet they had each other to balance out the good and bad experiences between them. Content as long as it was always the three of them, and Garp wants to keep it like that.

The solution is far from ideal, but looking at his grandsons and comparing these current events to the past ones, Garp supposes it’s better than replicating the future.

And in having Newgate care for his grandsons, many things could be changed ranging from Sabo remaining with his brothers and fulfilling his first ever dream, to saving Ace’s future Nakama and capturing Blackbeard before he could set off another chain reaction, leading to the deaths of innocents and the likes.

And if Garp was to be honest, this ‘solution’ had been born in highlight of how Ace had been Whitebeards legacy in more ways than one.

Newgate had been drawn to Ace like a moth to a fly and vice versa, because Garp remembers a time, when Ace had been alive, and Newgate had boasted about his grandson, of his assassination attempts, to his innate skills as a leader, to him questioning his self worth when things go wrong in his presence. To how loyal, caring and compassionate he was.

Newgate had come to adore the spitfire that had once been an angry and bitter boy who wanted nothing more than to be recognised as Ace, and it had been Newgate who done so, a man who had been Rogers rival and friend, and that wasn’t Luffy, Sabo or himself, Makino and Dadan and her bandits.

The pair had gravitated to each other like a natural born Father and son duo. Ace had been the second happiest on Newgates ship, hadn’t he?

And Garp wonders, if only for a moment, how his three grandsons would do living with Pirates. Because no longer was Ace bitter and angry, nor was Sabo an amnesiac and Luffy had always been that carefree, innocent and trusting boy who’s able to worm his way into peoples heart. 

And if Ace had the best of both worlds, he would be the happiest there wouldn’t he. And Sabo and Luffy would be the happiest as long as they were with Ace and he was with them.

In the end, it’s a win-win situation, Garp thinks, and with a lighter heart than he came with a week ago, Garp wanders off behind Dadan’s hut, pulling out his personal Den- Den mushi, dailing the familiar number of Ace’s future captain.

”Garp!”

”Newgate.”

-/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehhh, sorry for any mistakes you may have encountered. Hope you enjoyed it ^^


	7. Take Us To Sea (and let me be yours)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sabo and Garp bond with each other and Whitebeard is drawn to Ace like a moth to a flame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn’t know how to structure this chapter, so if it’s a bit iffy then I’m sorry lol. Sorry for any mistakes you may encounter. Hope you enjoy!!!

He was an idiot as much as he was a hero — and despite such flaw in the man, Sabo had truly come to adore Garp as they spent time together — he weaving tales of men and women long gone; their names having left it’s Mark in the endless and vast blues— and he listening to him with rapt attention, soaking in every word and hand gesture used to tell the tale.

They would sit on Dadan’s stairs or be huddled around their built in campfire — sharing crocodile meat as Garp weaved him tales of a men and women considered heroes or criminals, but in the end seen as _legends to some,_ told him what it truly meant to be Marine and how it came to be reduced to nothing but ash and soot;

“.... _and_ _as Marines, we have our own sense of code, it’s what we call absolute justice, but not every Marine is ruled by it and believe their own sense of justice should be carried out, and it’s individuals like those that destroy any goodwill and faith that the Marine have established with its citizens. And it is because of that, the world has come to be what it is today. Nothing but mindless killing and bloodshed, all done in the name of ‘justice.’ Justice is a subjective thing, that I can agree on, but we have to come to a compromise if we wish to protect civilians even if we don’t agree with each other’s perspectives. So listen here Sabo, do what you think is right, and if someone else believes it’s wrong, make sure you make a decision after you have heard them out.”_

And there were times, were he would lecture him about what it meant to be a a soldier/subordinate;

” _...and sometimes we will be forced to take on missions that will go against our sense of morality because our captain or superior has asked us to — and whilst some individuals may not have a hard time in carrying out such heinous crimes for the sake of said captain or superior, it is because they have been programmed to believe that they are tools to be wielded by their captain/superior — and that isn’t what makes a soldier/subordinate though. A soldier is a person who puts others before themselves, a person who puts others before their captains order if they believe what they have been told to do is wrong, and if possible, completing their missions effectively whilst sparing the lives of the innocents who will no doubt be caught in the crossfire. A soldier is more than a tool to be used. So make sure that you never lose yourself in trying to please others, even if it’s your captain.”_

Or when he would talk to him about his dreams of Peace and ending the cycle of pain, hatred and killing ;

_“....when people get hurt, they learn to hate... when people hurt others, they become hated and racked with guilt. But knowing that pain allows people to be kind. Pain allows people to grow... and how you grow is up to you.”  
_

“ _It’s petty things such as ideology, resources, spite, love or simply your heritage, and existing, that people take it as a good enough reason to start a war. And as long as humanity exists, hate will also exist.”_

 _”I believe in order to attain such goal as peace, we must feel and understand each other’s pain and come to an understanding, because only then, can peace be_ _attained_.”

Or he would speak about his failures and how he would like to repent for them; 

_”....my life has been nothing but failures; continually turning a blind eye to the destruction caused by my fellow Marines, unable to stop my son, and unable to protect either my wife and my rival/best friends wife. Compared to the great deeds of certain men, my actions are trifling, insignificant things indeed. I wish I would die a death befitting of my late friend Saul, but I’ve lived through trails of honing my abilities, and indeed they are not comparable to Saul’s, so I’ll settle with accomplishing a deed so great, that it will obliterate all my failures moments before my death. And I hope someday, I can live to achieve my dreams and the death that I want.”_

....and it’s moments like those between them, that Sabo realises that despite their short time together, he doesn’t want to ever disappoint this man who had taught him more than what his parents had. This man who hadn’t treated him with disdain once his eyes had fallen on him, and who had treated him like a _normal_ citizen, and not the _noble_ he was, and it had been refreshing. This man had taken him in because Ace and Luffy had declared him to be their brother and Garp had laughed it off and welcomed him into the family.

And despite the man trying to bully the three of them into becoming Marines, it was these conversations between them that had showed that he would support them in whatever path they chose. Even more so, it was as though he was entrusting Sabo to lead and look after the two other idiots — entrusting a small, insignificant person like he, who was nothing but a mere noble scum to look after his precious, idiotic Grandsons, but Sabo is happy, so, so happy and is more than willing to do that and more. 

And it’s that realisation, that has him making a promise to him, a promise that he would make a reality through, blood, sweat and tears, because Ace and Luffy are two people that they both love and have come to see as theirs, and more than that, they are _his_ brothers and it’s his duty to look after them.

“If by any reason you don’t live long enough to keep on protecting them, I promise you that I’ll burn the world to do so.”

Garp laughs as he pats him on his head, eyes fond, _believing and trusting not mocking like many would if there were to hear such childish naivety leave his mouth, but not him, not Garp, never Gramps, because it’s Ace and Luffy they are speaking about;_

”Of course you will, you are Sabo, the only good for nothing grandson that I can count on.”

And Sabo wonders if this is what it feels like to have a father, to have someone truly believe in you, when you yourself didn’t. To have someone who encouraged you to a goal thought to be one of childhood innocence and naivety. Truly, Garp was one of a kind. And Sabo doesn’t know what overcomes him as he throws himself at the man, his arms latching onto his waist as he buries his face in Garps stomach — warmth settling into the pits of his abdomen as he inhales the masculine scent of a man who had become so dear to him in such little days. 

”Promise me, promise me you’ll always be there for us when we need you?”

“Always Sabo, always.”

And to both, it’s a promise of a lifetime. Wherever one is, the others would soon follow behind, because a bond between a Grandfather and grandsons is unbreakable as much as it is irreplaceable. _Not that they knew that as of yet._

* * *

**Burn Twice as Bright**

* * *

“You’ll be leaving Dawn Island come two weeks time, say your goodbyes before then.” Ace’s eyes snap open at the soft spoken words, throwing his Gramps a questioning look.

”What for?” 

“Vacation.” 

“To where shitty geezer?”

”Moby Dick.” It comes out smug and gleeful but Ace’s heartbeat is erratic and pounding in his ears. A wave of nausea hits him as his breath hitches and all Ace can feel his palm become sweaty, trembling as they try to fist around the grass underneath him.

”Come again?” His voice comes out hoarse and scratchy and Ace can’t recognise his own voice, mind not having properly caught up with the sudden revelation.

”You and your brothers will be staying with Whitebeard and his crew.” It’s a hard battle between hugging his Gramps or cursing him to the pits of hell.

Ace doesn’t think he’s ready to see them again, to see an alive Thatch with an equally alive Oyaji. Knowing both had died because of him, and that has been something Ace could still not forgive himself for. But the most bitter realisation was seeing that damned traitorous of rat Teach, because God knows if Ace could control his damned anger and hurt at seeing the man and out right murdering him. 

It was too soon for him to face his fears, too soon for him to see them in the flesh and interact with them. It wasn’t supposed to happen so early, he still had many years left to make peace with his last regrets but clearly Ace did not have that luxury and would have to work around his guilt.

”I guess you don’t approve huh brat.” Garp utters out, sighing in defeat. “But..” he adds on, a flicker of pain and regret flickering in his own eyes before taking on a blank look.

“I think it’s time you let go. Fours years of mourning, grieving and regretting things that were out of your control is a long time. You no longer are the little boy with a burden as big as the world, but an adult in a child’s body who has a world out there waiting for him to conquer this pitiful world. Waiting for him to prove that he can move on and make things better for himself. Take this as a chance to step up to the responsibilities you have set for yourself and be the person you’ve always longed for. And maybe, this time round, with new experiences and a second chance to wrong our rights will be enough reason for you to _live_ your life. Without constantly questioning your self worth, living without regrets and being _you._ You do not have to please anyone but yourself. Let go off your grief and fears and regrets and start anew Ace.There’s still time for redemption, so do not wallow in self pity and take the chance that has been so clearly offered to you more than once before it’s too late.” 

And despite the words being harsh, Ace understands but that doesn’t mean he likes hearing such brutal honesty. Doesn’t like how _Gramps_ is able to so easily pick apart his broken shards that he had put together for years on end, causing them to crumble to dust by laying out his insecurities bare between them.

But with this seeming to be his last chance to finally let go and make peace with a timeline that vanished into existence, Ace supposes he could set aside his fears and regrets and use this chance to finally and properly became the person he wanted to become, the person he introduced himself as to Sabo, to be _Gol D._ _Ace, because no longer would he be the Portgas D. Ace_ that had fallen from the heavens and chained to the earth, who lived his life hiding behind facades, constantly running from his heritage and hating the world and everyone in it bar the few he had come to love!

He had been reborn from his flames, shedding the skin that was once Portgas D. Ace and in its ashes had risen Gol D. Ace. So maybe, facing his fears and overcoming them would be in his benefit. And maybe, this time round, he could live to see Luffy become Pirate King, live alongside Thatch and Oyaji and see Teach pay for his crimes and sins, and it would be them, giving one bow to Teach’s carved stone instead of his, Thatch’s and Oyaji’s.

( _And Ace finds comfort in such thought, blossoming a hope in him that he wants to see become a reality.)_

So maybe, just maybe, having shitty Gramps pick apart his broken shards he called his soul and personality wasn’t a bad thing, _and he could let himself drown in the luxury that was known as family again...and maybe just this once, the odds wouldn’t be against them_.

* * *

**Burn Twice as Bright**

* * *

He’d seen it many times before in Marco, Izou, Narmur, Haruta and his many sons and daughters. So on the first day he laid eyes on Portgas D. Ace, Whitebeard wondered how young had he been when he experienced his first intimate touch with war? How many battles he lost and won? How many lives he had taken, drowning himself in their blood as his guilt overwhelmed him? And how many of his precious people he had lost before his very own eyes? Whitebeard thought him to be more broken than he looked.

As though with every breath he took, a fragment of his soul cracked and became one with the wind, leaving him out to be nothing more than a washed out canvas, ready to be repainted and brought back to it’s former glory with a simple stoke of a brush. 

The second and third time he laid his eyes upon Ace, Edward thinks that the boy misses the fear and exhilaration that came on being in the battlefield.

Because the way his fingers would twitch at the littlest shift of the wind, spine straightening like a metal rod when the leaves rustles in his wake, and his eyes ravishing his surroundings with blatant eagerness made Edward realise that War had intertwined itself so deeply in Ace’ life no matter how brief and nerve wracking- as though war had been tailored to fit his body as it seduced him in its tragedy -- becoming a fundamental element in his life, for the adrenaline and thrill that thrummed in his veins was undeniably potent in his muscle memory, waiting to explode after seemingly being kept under layers of grief and self loathing.

Edward thinks it’s admirable in some ways but dislikes how Ace was left to carry his guilt with no pillar of stability to help mend the fragility that was his mind.

The fifth, sixth and seventh time he laid eyes on Ace, it was spent analysing and eavesdropping on his conversation with his blond brother, that Edward can’t help but drink in the sight of the warrior in him burning as bright as his devil fruit. Of how ferocity and hatred seeps into every word that leaves his mouth as he talks about the World Government, the marines, the Tenryuubito and their disgusting obsession of stripping humans bare of their rights and decency. But there are times when he talks with absolute vigor and happiness on their upcoming adventures, of what goals and dreams he wants to achieve that it ignites Edwards own flame despite already accomplishing his own dreams. 

The eighth and ninth time he spends in Ace’s company without him knowing, Edward knows him to be a protector , a hero in his own rights. He listens to him weave tales about heroes turned legends who died too young -- sacrificing their lives so the next generation wouldn't have to live in a war torn land and learning from their mistakes and chasing their dreams, learning and experiencing what freedom is.

Edward listens as Ace speaks to them about a mother named Portgas D. Rogue. A trickster who swindled the Pirate King more than one could ever hope, who’s heart was full of compassion and love. One who cared for her Husband’s Nakama dearly for they had become her own. One that had died protecting her only son from a world that hated his existence because of the blood running through his brains.

He then tells his siblings tales of the late Pirate King. A man who’s fiercely protective of his crew. Who is the walking definition of freedom. Talks about how he’d sacrificed himself for his pregnant wife so she could birth their child without the marines attention. And whilst Ace does not know leaps and bounds of information regarding his father, Edward can tell the boy has come to respect him father and has overcome the hatred of him that Garp had talked about. Edward is so proud of Little Ace.

And as he speaks, weaving the tales of heroes, Edward comes to respect little Ace even more, because whilst he experienced the hatred that blanketed their world like a mother’s embrace, he hadn’t become as bitter as he believed him to be. Edward thought him to be a mixture of Marco, Thatch and Namur. All their good and bad mixed together to create one Portgas D. Ace.

Whitebeard supposes that just this once, he wouldn’t mind lending a hand to Garp and with that makes himself known to the three brats that would soon come to be his sons.

-/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to include asl interaction with Whitebeard, but it would’ve been to long I guess, so sorry to anyone who had been looking forward to it!!


	8. Let Him Wander (for home is where the hearts at)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy has always hated changed, but he never realised how much until his world was tilted on its axis’s a third time in his very short life.

_  
(There are certain things Garp knows he’ll never forget._

_Of how his eldest grandson’s bones laid buried for two years.  
_

_Of red and fire and a grandson thought long gone rising from the ashes of his sworn, dead brother and the crinkling of a newspaper as it signaled the end of an era and the beginning of a new reign._

_Garp will never forget.)_

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

Dadan dares not to breathe as the tiny little babe is placed in her masculine arms, afraid she’ll snap him in half for he’s a squirmy little thing, face turning shades of red as he cries and Dadan feels something akin to pity as she gazes at the young soul. Who’s father died long before his birth and his mother mere moment after his entrance into a world that has already began to shun his existence. Right there and then, Dadan promises to herself to do her utmost best in raising the little twerp that she has already come to see as hers.

”You’ll raise him for me, won’t you Dadan.” She doesn’t have much of choice when it comes to Garp and his decisions, and just this once, Dadan finds herself not mind bowing to Garps orders, only because she has unconsciously become the willing protector of boy who’s future will no doubt be filled with adolescent anguish and tragedy, and if she can at least give him a semblance of a happy childhood, then so be it.

And whilst she may be a bandit, Dadan is sure she knows compassion and empathy and whilst her love is not tender and soft as a mother’s, it’ll make do and Dadan knows she’ll give her best into raising the little runt who’s lost everything long before he could utter his first war cry.

”As if I ever had a choice to begin with.” She had grumbled out, poking Ace’s chubby cheeks as Garps laughter resonated within the walls of their hut.

”Always knew I could count on you. You’ll raise Ace to be a fine Marine in no time.” Garps skewered Logic had never failed to amuse her, and whilst this statement was somewhat humorous, her anger had cut through it as she turned to Garp, sending him a scathing look. 

“Marine? You leave him with mountain bandits and expect me to raise him as anything but? He’ll be his fathers son through and through Garp. And whatever reasoning has lead you to believe that Ace becoming a Marine will be for the best, it will be nothing more but a death sentence. You are be willing to throw him to enemy territories? placing your faith in scums who have killed mothers and their unborn child just to look for one little brat? and when they find the person they have been chasing for years has been in their midst, you think they’ll let him go because he is now one of them? A law abiding citizen, an upstanding holder of absolute justice? Do not make yourself the fool everyone believes you to be Garp.”

Dadan remembers pushing Garp out of the hut after that, not wanting to here any reasoning Garp would utter to defend himself against her harsh truth — little Ace leeching of her warmth.

And the years had continued to pass, neither adults ever bringing up their one-sided argument and Dadan let’s it be as she continues to watch over Ace.

Ace who had at first been bitter, angry, hurting and coming back home with more bruises day in and day out.

And Dadan had hated it and damned Garp, damned Roger, damned the World Government and its soldiers and damned every person who dared hurt her child.

Then came age seven, and Dadan doesn’t know what has happened to her child, but she is nonetheless thankful to him and the blond boy that comes trudging behind him, introducing himself as Sabo and calling her an old hag. And Dadan couldn’t find it in herself to give the boy a good lashing of the mouth, her eyes having only been trained on the child she had raised since a babe. Who no longer seemed to be bitter, angry and hurting but happy, smiling and oh so childish. Dadan is thankful.

And then had come another brat, another monster to speak who hated bandits but had yet showered her with affection and had become the sun in Ace and Sabo’s bleak and blackened life.

She had come to care for her boys, always has and always will and yet here they are, the three of them saying their farewells to her and her bandits, and Dadans heart aches at the thought of parting ways with her brats. She may have not given birth to them, but they were her kids, her brats, her little terrors who were the never ending cause of her headaches and she doesn’t want to let them go and let them live with some Pirates, but she knows it’s for the best, for their protection, but they are hers and Dadan can’t bring herself to say goodbye, can’t bring herself to let them go and into the hands of strangers who’ll no doubt replace her in more ways than one. 

They had always been her problem, and even if she complained about them day and night, she would not mind them being her problem until they become no good Pirates, terrorising those who’ve wronged them since birth, but she has to let them go and pass her responsibilities to the man that stands some mere meters away from her and her boys.

”You’ll continue to protect each other won’t you?” It’s not what she expects to leave her mouth, far from it, but Dadan supposes, just this once, she can let her maternal instincts take over, and with so, her arms wrap around her brats.

”Shishishi, of course we will.” And Dadan could only squeeze them further into her embrace.

”I’m so proud of you Ace, Sabo, Luffy. Look out for each won’t you? And become the no good Pirates you’ve always wanted to be.” 

“What do you take us for you old hag?! Our names will reach the skies and you’ll get to brag about how you raised the future Pirate king and his brothers.” 

_She’ll miss_ them, Dadan thinks as Ace answers, the three brats arms wrapping around her in a hug.

”We’ll miss you Dadan, but we promise to write when we can. Thank you for raising us, even though we drove you crazy.” Always the polite one he was, and Dadan knows she’ll miss his cunning ways and how his eyes would light up with mischief when ever he thought of new ways of evading her and her capture methods.

”It’s all I ask for.”

”Shishishi, Dadan really is an old hag who loves us.”

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

  
Luffy doesn’t know what to make of these new changes in his life; from leaving Gramps to living with Makino, to leaving Makino to live with Dadan, and now leaving Dadan to stay with Pirates.

Luffy is...Luffy is lost and unsure and doesn’t quite like how his world has been titled on its axis’s a third time in his very short life. 

And it hurts him more than he thought it would because everything and everyone he’s known will now only become a distant memory, a childhood past, to never be touched upon and only to be remembered by his eight year old mind that is not as developed as Ace, or Sabo’s and that hurts, hurts so much and Luffy can feel the thundering of his heart as his strides flatter behind his brothers.

_Luffy wants to cling to familiarity!_

Luffy...Luffy doesn’t want to leave, doesn’t want to go with some stinking Pirates he doesn’t know off, doesn’t want to forget Makino and the way she would smile at him, doesn’t want to forget Mayor Woop Slap and his boring lectures, or Dadan and her bandits and the way they would chase after him and his brothers when they got too annoying.

He doesn’t want to leave the place that bore the beginnings of his adventures, the place that contained sweet memories of him and those he loved and the place were he met Shanks and ignited his dream of becoming Pirate King, and forged a bond of brotherhood over sake and an oath with Ace and Sabo.

“..uffy! Luffy! What’s wrong?”

 _Everything!_ Luffy wants to answer, his hands clutching his strawhat to his chest, and Luffy doesn’t realise he’s crying, doesn’t realise his legs have crumbled under his weight and that he’s a bumbling incoherent mess because everything is wrong and it hurts and Luffy hates, hates, hates how everything is always changing and he can never keep pace with the change of scenery.

”Oi Luffy, stop crying and tell us what’s wrong?” 

“I..i don’t want to leave!”

Sabo flatters and Ace gapes and Whitebeard could only _stare_ at the youngest of the three, who’s face is a mess of tears and snot and who’s eyes are locked on a distant figure as he mumbled incoherently, face craftily blank and Edward finds such an expression on a young child, disconcerting.

“And why’s that Lu?” The kid’s breath hitches and his words stumble and stagger over each other but it’s coherent enough for Edward to string them together and make sense of it.

”I..don’t want it to be like with Makino and Dadan...and...and I don’t want to meet new people and replace Makino and Dadan and Gramps and I don’t want some stinking pirate ship to be my new home.....” And Edward had somewhat been prepared for their youngest recruits to feel homesick sometime in the near future, but for it to have happened e we whilst still on their home island, and long before they could reach the Moby Dick? Edward is surprised and somewhat unsure on how to tackle this problem.

“...and I don’t want to have a new home again.” The last of the sentence coming out silent and pained and Whitebeard wonders what the child could mean by that.

”No one can replace Makino, Dadan and Gramps Luffy. It can only happen if _you let_ it happen, and you won’t let that happen will you now Lu?”

“Of course not Sabo. Makino is Makino, Dadan is Dadan and just like Gramps is Gramps!” 

“And home will always be the people or person you think off when _home_ is mentioned. Like how I see you and Ace and Gramps as home. You understand me, dontcha Lu.” 

And Edward marvels at the complete turn of emotion in the young boy as he bops his head wildly, the signature D grin splitting his face in half as he glomps his brothers, laughter bright and eyes shining with new found understanding and Edward can tell the boy has found peace with himself, the past seconds undoubtedly becoming nothing but memories to the boy and Edward finds himself laughing.

”What a troublesome brat you are.”

* * *

**Burn Twice As Bright**

* * *

_  
(”And so you’ll let them go? just like that yoi?”_

_”yes.”_

_And the Moby Dick sets sails and Garp has always been afraid of goodbyes.)_

-/


End file.
